Our Journey

Slough Children’s Services Trust (SCST) was established as a not-for-profit trust on 1 October 2015 after intervention by the DfE to remove children’s services from Slough Borough Council, following a series of ‘Inadequate’ ratings.

Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to improve the service and to work closely (and effectively) with the council as joint Corporate Parents.

This website charts our progress and this page charts our journey, including our Ofsted inspections.

Click on either of the tabs below, to read more.

Our Journey to Safe, Secure & Successful

Our Ofsted Journey

In February 2016, Ofsted published its findings from its December 2015 visit to the trust. We’d been in operation for just two months and, not surprisingly, the findings followed the path of the previous three reports, when children’s services were run by Slough Borough Council and we were rated ‘Inadequate’.

Since then, we have been working at full pace to improve the service we offer to vulnerable children and their families. We haven’t done this alone. We’ve worked closely with Slough Borough Council – who are joint Corporate Parents with us – to make sure every service working with vulnerable children and families is linked, is better and that we work effectively and efficiently. Together.

Here are the Ofsted report – from both inspections and monitoring visits – published since we took over. We hope you agree that they show our steady, improved progress and a clear path towards ‘Good’ and then ‘Outstanding’.

Link to Ofsted full inspection as a Voluntary Adoption Agency, published 22 November 2018

Link to Ofsted full inspection as an Independent Fostering Agency, published 18 July 2018

Link to our sixth Ofsted monitoring visit – Children in care published 25 May 2018

Link to our fifth Ofsted monitoring visit – Children in Need and early help published 2 February 2018

Link to our fourth Ofsted monitoring visit – Looked After Children published 20 October 2017

Link to our third Ofsted monitoring visit – Child Protection published 14 July 2017

Link to our second Ofsted monitoring visit – Care Leavers, published 30 March 2016

Link to our first Ofsted monitoring visit – First Contact & MASH, published 2 December 2016

Link to Ofsted full inspection, published in 17 February 2016

Link to Ofsted full inspection as an Independent Adoption Agency, published in 5 April 2017

Link to Ofsted full inspection as an Independent Fostering Agency, published 22 February 2017